Isoflavone is a class of natural occurring chemicals found in many plants but most commonly is found in soybeans. It is found in all soy products including soymilk, tofu, soy flour, and soybean oils. Isoflavones act as phytoestrogens, which basically means they trick the body of mammals into thinking they are real estrogens, the prominent female hormone.
We use Isoflavones for many reasons; one of the reasons is that it is a source of the amino acid phenylalanine. It is one of the essential amino acids that our bodies and bodies of many or all mammals alike cannot synthesize on it’s own, hence we need an outside source for this amino acid. Isoflavones are thought to prevent and treat many types of cancer including, breast, prostate, skin and colon. It is said to prevent a lot of the various symptoms of menopause, for example, heat flashes, and osteoporosis. Also Isoflavones have been implicated in reducing headaches, dementia, inflammation, and alcohol abuse, as well as immunomodulation.
This chemical class is used anywhere that soy products are consumed. This class is very commonly found in most Asian dishes because of their abundance in soy production and soy consumption. It is said people that eat Asian cuisine their entire lives live longer, healthier lives, said to be the reason why Asians typically live longer than most people of other countries.
Synthesis/Production
Isoflavones can be synthesized in plants. Research has been done that suggests genetic engineering and modifications to these plants can give us specific isoflavones that were thought only to come by metabolism. If we can continue to research this maybe a way to, in the future, artificially produce isoflavones.
Phenylalanine, also known as 2-Amino-3-phenyl-propanoic acid and C6H5CH2CH(NH2)COOH, is an amino acid made naturally by plants and it is one of the essential amino acids that humans need to have in order to survive or function properly. You can get this amino acid from all plants since it is a plant protein that all plants naturally produce. This amino acid stimulates the creation of the enzyme class 4-coumarate-CoA. This is made by the chemical reaction between Coenzyme A (C21H36N7O16P3S) and 4-coumarate. Then, a reaction occurs between the 4-coumarate-CoA and Malonyl CoA (C24H38N7O19P3S) which in turn makes chalcone (C15H12O). Chalcone branches off and creates flavanone. A subcategory of flavanones is flavones and isoflavones.
This is the backbone isoflavone structure:
Human Health Implications
Isoflavones are phytoestrogens so they can help in many ways delay or almost eliminate menstruation. It involves the reproductive and endocrine systems of females. It has been found that mothers that have a high isoflavone intake increase the chances of sterility in their children. It has been criticized that isoflavones increase the incidence of epithelial hyperplasia, which is an oral infection similar to the papillomavirus. It is also said that they cause goiter and hyperthyroidism.
Environmental Implications
Isoflavones can react with many systems in the body. One example is the digestive system. This is the metabolic pathway leading to formation of equol from daidzein in a urine sample, this daidzein came from soy and is being metabolized into equol, which is begin expelled out the body in the form of urine.
Soy is degraded in the body like any other nutrient. It is broken down to glucose and starches and then the isoflavones are taken and they react with the estrogen receptors in females and for males they just get their amino acid stripped away. This class degrades and is expelled out the body in urine and in feces. It is very similar to all other nutrients that are used and expelled.
Economic/Political Impact
The banning of this chemical would not hurt the majority of the American population. The biggest group that would be affected would be the mass consuming soy-eating population, essentially most vegetarians. If this chemical were banned the soy industry would fall horrendously. There would no longer be soymilk or tofu and other soy products allowed on the market.
There are other ways to get the essential amino acid phenylalanine, consuming other types of plants, but the soy eating method was the easiest and most efficient way. The political ramifications wouldn’t be significant
Table of Contents
Isoflavones
Abstract
Background
Isoflavone is a class of natural occurring chemicals found in many plants but most commonly is found in soybeans. It is found in all soy products including soymilk, tofu, soy flour, and soybean oils. Isoflavones act as phytoestrogens, which basically means they trick the body of mammals into thinking they are real estrogens, the prominent female hormone.We use Isoflavones for many reasons; one of the reasons is that it is a source of the amino acid phenylalanine. It is one of the essential amino acids that our bodies and bodies of many or all mammals alike cannot synthesize on it’s own, hence we need an outside source for this amino acid. Isoflavones are thought to prevent and treat many types of cancer including, breast, prostate, skin and colon. It is said to prevent a lot of the various symptoms of menopause, for example, heat flashes, and osteoporosis. Also Isoflavones have been implicated in reducing headaches, dementia, inflammation, and alcohol abuse, as well as immunomodulation.
This chemical class is used anywhere that soy products are consumed. This class is very commonly found in most Asian dishes because of their abundance in soy production and soy consumption. It is said people that eat Asian cuisine their entire lives live longer, healthier lives, said to be the reason why Asians typically live longer than most people of other countries.
Synthesis/Production
Isoflavones can be synthesized in plants. Research has been done that suggests genetic engineering and modifications to these plants can give us specific isoflavones that were thought only to come by metabolism. If we can continue to research this maybe a way to, in the future, artificially produce isoflavones.Phenylalanine, also known as 2-Amino-3-phenyl-propanoic acid and C6H5CH2CH(NH2)COOH, is an amino acid made naturally by plants and it is one of the essential amino acids that humans need to have in order to survive or function properly. You can get this amino acid from all plants since it is a plant protein that all plants naturally produce. This amino acid stimulates the creation of the enzyme class 4-coumarate-CoA. This is made by the chemical reaction between Coenzyme A (C21H36N7O16P3S) and 4-coumarate. Then, a reaction occurs between the 4-coumarate-CoA and Malonyl CoA (C24H38N7O19P3S) which in turn makes chalcone (C15H12O). Chalcone branches off and creates flavanone. A subcategory of flavanones is flavones and isoflavones.
This is the backbone isoflavone structure:
Human Health Implications
Isoflavones are phytoestrogens so they can help in many ways delay or almost eliminate menstruation. It involves the reproductive and endocrine systems of females. It has been found that mothers that have a high isoflavone intake increase the chances of sterility in their children. It has been criticized that isoflavones increase the incidence of epithelial hyperplasia, which is an oral infection similar to the papillomavirus. It is also said that they cause goiter and hyperthyroidism.Environmental Implications
Isoflavones can react with many systems in the body. One example is the digestive system. This is the metabolic pathway leading to formation of equol from daidzein in a urine sample, this daidzein came from soy and is being metabolized into equol, which is begin expelled out the body in the form of urine.Soy is degraded in the body like any other nutrient. It is broken down to glucose and starches and then the isoflavones are taken and they react with the estrogen receptors in females and for males they just get their amino acid stripped away. This class degrades and is expelled out the body in urine and in feces. It is very similar to all other nutrients that are used and expelled.
Economic/Political Impact
The banning of this chemical would not hurt the majority of the American population. The biggest group that would be affected would be the mass consuming soy-eating population, essentially most vegetarians. If this chemical were banned the soy industry would fall horrendously. There would no longer be soymilk or tofu and other soy products allowed on the market.There are other ways to get the essential amino acid phenylalanine, consuming other types of plants, but the soy eating method was the easiest and most efficient way. The political ramifications wouldn’t be significant
Summary
Public Service Announcement